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Ones to watch, from left, Loki Dove, Dillon Genet, and Connor Benest.
Loki Dove, Connor Benest and Dillon Genet of Snells Beach have been selected for the Ricki Herbert Academy national tour team.
Dove and Genet have been playing with the Warkworth Football Club since age 4 and were joined by Benest a year ago.
The boys have been training with coach Joe Hinds, of the Herbert academy, once a week at Shoesmith Domain.
All three were asked to join the national Herbert football camp in Hamilton this year for four days of training with different coaches, including Ricki Herbert himself.
Based on their performance at this camp, they were selected for the national team.
Although Covid-19 has made plans uncertain, the tour typically covers the major urban centres, including Christchurch and Wellington, where the team will play major clubs.
Coach Hinds says it is designed to give young players the experience of being on a semi-professional team.
Players are responsible for getting up on time and being in the right gear and managing their own performance in training.
The families of the three boys will be fundraising by raffling a trailer of wood and a whole lamb donated by supporting friends.
Mum Tanja Dove says they are also considering a sausage sizzle at Mitre 10 and a quiz night.
The trio are best mates. Dove and Genet have known each other for seven years.
